President Donald Trump said he would examine whether the federal government can stop New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's new pied-à-terre tax, which was temporarily blocked by a state court.
Trump in a social media post on Tuesday argued that the policy was costing the city by driving away wealthy people who would otherwise pay taxes there. It's unclear if the administration has the power to intervene in a state tax matter.
"I am looking to see if the Federal Government has any legal right to avert this disaster, before it is too late, for the millions of people who cherish New York and want to see it thrive, as opposed to becoming a filthy, crime ridden, decrepit place of mockery and scorn," Trump posted.
Trump's message was his latest broadside against Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist the president has used as a foil in order to boost Republicans' prospects in the November midterm elections.
The status of the tax was in dispute on Tuesday afternoon.
Justice Wayne Ozzi on Monday issued a restraining order against the city, barring enforcement of the law pending further proceedings. The city has asserted that its plans to appeal Ozzi's order automatically put it on hold and allow it to continue with its rollout.
The lawyer behind the homeowners' suit, former New York Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, said in a court filing that the city was wrong and Ozzi's order remains in effect. Mastro said the city should be held in contempt of court if it attempts to proceed with implementing the tax.
The tax was signed into law in May by Governor Kathy Hochul and targets single-family homes worth at least $5 million and apartments worth $1 million or more. It's part of New York leaders' drive to extract more tax revenue from wealthy homeowners. Mamdani has said the surcharge would help fund city streets and schools and promote safety.
Roughly 2,000 people have completed applications seeking an exemption from the tax, the city's Department of Finance said last week.
